Concerts. Festivals. Fairs. Sporting events. Live theater. Corporate events. Whether it is indoors or outdoors, we love to be entertained and inspired. We thrive on learning from experts and hearing from speakers we admire. And this is why the events industry is enormous. In the United States, business meetings, conferences, tradeshows and the like provided over 5.9 million jobs.

The impacts of COVID-19 have changed the way we approach much of life, including how Americans receive healthcare. Social distancing, intended to “flatten the curve” and prevent further spread of the coronavirus, has dramatically expanded the use of telemedicine in the area of behavioral healthcare.*

In insurance, hard markets present hard choices. Policyholders often face sharply higher rates and tighter terms and conditions at renewal, along with exclusions their expiring liability coverage did not impose. In these situations, incumbent carriers may offer an extended reporting period (ERP), which lets insureds file claims after the original policy’s expiration date. Buying an ERP, however, has significant risks that insureds and their agents should consider.

The coronavirus has transformed life for billions of people in just a few short weeks. Since the first U.S. COVID-19 case was reported on January 21st, the number of known cases has grown significantly nationwide, reaching pandemic status and straining healthcare systems. More information is becoming available day by day as the situation evolves.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow, the directors and officers of public and private organizations are facing risks on two fronts: the economic impacts of COVID-19 and litigation. Adding to the challenge is a hardening insurance marketplace.